Top-locking means for caskets, shipping cases, and the like



L. A. POWELL 1,754,045

TOP LOCKING MEANS FOR GASKETS, SHIPPING CASES AND THE LIKE April 8, 1930.

s Sheets-Sheet 1 Film} April 4, 1927 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 8, 1930.

L. A. POWELL TOP LOCKING MEANS FOR GASKETS, SHIPPING CASES, AND THE LIKE 3 Shegts-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1927- ll llllul.

Zawrewcegfawefl INVENTDR April 8, 1930. 1 1.. A. POWELL 1,754,045

TOP LOCKING MEANS FOR GASKETS, SHIPPING CASES, AND THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 \Q INVENTOR Q 1 f Q 1 F 5 g BY R; R I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1930 LAWRENCE A. POWELLMOF FORT MYERS, FLORIDA TOP-LOCKING MEANS ronrcasknrs, SHIPPING CASES, AND THE LIKE Application filed April 4;

This invention relates to undertaking and itsgeneral object is to provide a shipping case, casket and the like, that is capable of being sealed air tight in an'easy and expedn tiousmanner and with verylittle efforton the" w sealingumeans that is extremely simplein construction, contalns fewparts, and 1s capable of being locked and retained in locked position without fear of casual opening, with the result, a dead body can be kept in proper istate foran indefinite period .of time before and during-shipping as well as for other purposes.

Thisinvention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims;

In describing my-invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the severalviews, and in which: a t

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ship pingcase forming the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 isa top plan view of the body thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the top. Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of thesealing gasket.

Referring to the drawings in detail the reference numeral 1 indicatesthe body of the shipping caseas Sl10WI1,aI1Cl while I have disclosed the sealing means applied to a' shipping case, it will be obvious that the: same is to be used on caskets and the like of any make and construction, without depart ingifrom'thespirit of theinvention. The

1927. Serial No. 180,888.

shipping case as shown is constructed of metal and formed integral with the side andiend walls of the body is a continuous outwardly extending horizontally disposed flange 2 which is provided with a continuous groove 5 3 disposed adjacent the juncture of the flange with the walls of the body as best shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. The flange is further provided with a plurality of slots 4 ar ranged outwardly of the groove and in equi- 63' distantly spaced relation with respect to each other for a purpose which will be presently apparent.

The top is indicated by the reference numeral 5 and is centrally provided with a raised portion 6 which is formed with inclined Walls 7 so as the top will conform with the top of a casket and the like which may be arranged in the case. From the inclined Walls 7, the top extends to provide a hori- 7o zontal portion 8 which has formed on its outer edges a depending flange 9 adapted to be arranged in contacting engagement with a like flange 10 formed withthe flange 2 of the body. 721

Fixed to the underside of the horizontal portion 8 of the top is a plurality of bearing blocks 11 formed with square bores to accommodate square in cross section rods mounted for slidable movement therein, and for distinction the rods which extend longitudinally of the top areindicated by the reference numeral 12 while the transverserods bearthe reference numeral 13; Secured to the dependingflange adjacent two of its corners as suggested in Figure 30f the drawing are guide bearings 14 through which pass one of the ends of the longitudinal rods 12 and these endsare threaded as at 15 to receive the shank 16 of an operating handle 17 which as shown in Figure 6 is pivotallysecured to the shank whereby it can be arranged in contacting engagement therewith when not in use. The shank is formed with a threaded .borefor receiving the threaded end of its rod as best shown in Figure 6 ofthe drawingsr The opposite ends ofthe rods are pivotally'secured to ears 18 whichare pivotally fixed adjacent to the corners of the horizontal portion; 8, opposite the guide bearings, and these ears 18 also pivotally receive one of the ends of the transverse rods so that movement of the longitudinal rods 12 will be transmitted to the transverse rods whereby the rods will be operated in unison.

Secured to the rods 12 and 13 at equidistantly spaced relation with respect to each other for cooperation with the slots 4 are a plurality of keepers 19 having a square bore for accommodatin the rods and a cam tongue 20. Arranged in the continuous groove 3 is a gasket which is preferably formed from rubber or some similar resilient composition and is adapted to receive the top and the horizontal portion 8 thereof as best shown in Figure of the drawings.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawings, it will be obvious that I have provided a positive sealing means for ship ping cases, caskets and the like that can be operated in an easy and expeditious manner with very little effort on the part of the operator, as all that is necessary for the operation of the sealing means is to dispose the handle 17 of their shanks 16, which are fixed to the threaded ends of the respective rods 12, to their operative position or at right angles to the shanks, and by rotating the handles, it will be apparent that the rods 12 will be t moved longitudinally in their hearing blocks 11 while the rods 13 will be transversely moved. This movement will cause the keepers 19 to likewise move and due to the engagement of the cam tongues, which are passed through the slots, with the underside of the flange 2, the top will be drawn tightly against the gasket which is indicated by the reference numeral 21 and provide an air tight connection between the top and body.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an undertaking device, a body, a flange formed with said body and being provided with a plurality of slots, a removable top for said body, rods slidably mounted and carried by said top, cam means secured to said rods and means for sliding said rods for securing the cam meansin the slots.

2. A shipping case for dead bodies comprising a body, a horizontally disposed flange formed with said body and being provided with a plurality of slots, a removable top for said body and including a flanged horizontal portion, bearing blocks secured to said portion, longitudinally and transversely disposed rods mounted for slidable movement through said bearing blocks, cam members carried by said rods and-being adapted to be received in said slots, and handled means rotatably mounted on the longitudinally disposed rods for moving the rods and securing the cam members in the slots to provide a tight connection between the top and body.

3. The combination with a metallic case for receiving dead bodies and including a flanged body and a removable top, of slidably mounted rods carried by said top and being disposed longitudinally and transversely thereof, means for "pivotally securing the transversely dis osed rods with the longitudinally dispose rods, and being pivotally secured-to said top, cam members secured to said rods for movement therewith and adapted to be received in slots formed in the flange of the body, and means threadedly secured to the longitdinally disposed rods for moving the same "and transversely disposed rods simultaneously for securing said cam members in the slots to provide a tight connection between the top and body.

4. A case of thecharacter described comprising a body, a horizontally disposed flange formed therewith and being provided with a plurality of slots, a removable top for said body and including a flanged horizontal portion, bearing blocks secured to the horizontal portion, longitudinally and transversely disposed rods mounted for slidable movement in said bearing blocks, threaded portions included in the longitudinally disposed rods, means threadedly secured to the threaded portions for moving the longitudinally disposed rods, means pivotally securing the transverse rods with the longitudinally disposed rods whereby they are moved simultaneously, and means carried by said rods and received in saidslots to fasten the top to said body.

5. Anundertaking case of the character described comprising a body, a'fiange formed integrally therewith and being provided-with slots,'a top for said'body, means for securing'said top to said body and including longitudinally disposed rods mounted for slidable movement and carried by said top, transversely disposed rods pivotally secured to said longitudinally disposed rods for movement therewith, keepers fixed to said rods at predetermined intervals thereon, cam tongues formed with said keepers and being adapted to be received in said slots, and handled means threadedly secured to one of v the ends of said longitudinal rods, for moving said rods and securing and retaining the cam tongues in the slots to provide a tight connection between the body and top.

6. In an undertaking device, a body, a horizontally disposed slotted flange formed with said bod a removable top for said body and inc uding ahorizontal portion adapted to be arranged in parallelism with said flange, rods mounted for slidable movement between the flange and horizontal por- 

